Florida banks face conundrum to survive

As the number of Florida-based banks continues to dwindle, one analyst predicts the state’s banking sector will shrink to 100 banks within two years.  At the beginning of the year, 149 banks were headquartered in Florida. That’s down from 306 lenders 10 years earlier and 227 just five years ago. Bank failures — 72 in Florida since 2008, including nine in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties — and mergers/acquisitions have trimmed the landscape of independent banks.

Source: Florida banks face conundrum to survive